Circle of Trust. Day one of 2022 GLAR.(Guide/Leader/Aspirant/Rendezvous)
Another calendar year of canyoneering has come to a close and a new one has begun. In 2022 the dedicated Team of ACA volunteers trained, assessed and certified more individuals than ever before. The workshops continued to be an excellent source of skill building and additional courses have expanded training opportunities inside and outside of the canyoneering community. As a group we worked within our established framework of standards, yet remained dynamic and adaptable as new opportunities arose. Incredible. So, on behalf of our ACA Membership and all who benefited from this generous gift of time and knowledge, I want to say a huge THANK YOU. Every person who helped make this a reality shared much of their time and passion. Well played Team ACA!
Some quick highlights of the 2022 Season:
-Added New “Sovereign Canyoneer” Course: For those who want to be active in problem solving, but are not aspiring for a specific Leader Certification. Pure canyoneering training, one step up from Core. See link above.
-Updated Assessment Protocols: Good feedback was received and adjustments were made to the Assessment process. Initial response has been very positive.
-Assessment “Prep” Workshops: Pre- Assessment training to address any remaining technical questions, clarify Assessors expectations and provide focused training to ensure the best chance to achieve a positive result.
-Performing “In-Canyon” CL Assessments: Elevated this critical item by making observations of technical and Leader skills in a canyoneering environment.
-PHF: Wildest flood forecast in a long time! We stayed flexible, made informed choices and became masters of radar, water vapor loops and watching clouds. Thanks Pros, Leaders and attendees for the extraordinary effort. Awesome workshops too.
-GLAR: The Instructors knowledge and experience continues to astound. The student’s skills levels and enthusiasm are keeping pace. Quality training and pancakes too, it has really become a fun event.
-Honduras: Building upon previous successes, 2022 included SWR certification for local Fire fighters (Joe Storms), a day of working with 25 young school children (aka Monster Fest:) and the re-certification of Rawacala’s Single Site Pro Guides. The Travel Team worked smart, ate well and truly helped elevate the lives of many very kind people. Made lots of great friends too! Ya rock!!!
-Mexico: The ACA completed two Pro Guide Courses and Assessments, resulting in 5 new certified ACA Pros! This is turning into a convenient “off season” Pro cert option.
-Dominica: Ten days of training and assessing an exceptional group of highly experienced canyoning Guides. Full Pro certification for 6 and ACL for 1. Top notch Guides and epic canyons. See LINK for more info.
Well, this is just a few of the many incredible and unique happenings of our year together. One final THANK YOU to all Members for a great year. Stay smart, strong and safe. It’s a honor being the one to type this and play a small role in all we achieve together. More fun ahead……
